


Friends in Unlikely Places

by vodkasam



Category: Supernatural
Genre: American Sign Language, Deaf, Deaf!Sam, Gen, Samstiel - Freeform, Sastiel - Freeform, Sign Language, Weecest, Wincest - Freeform, deaf!verse, lost!sam, soul mates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-24
Updated: 2014-01-24
Packaged: 2018-01-09 20:17:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1150354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vodkasam/pseuds/vodkasam
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sam backed away from Castiel, and the angel could feel the boy’s worry radiating off him. He motioned to his ears and shook his head, as if to say, <i>I can’t hear you.</i><br/>Castiel knew this already, of course. It was part of his assignment. He nodded and then held out a flat palm. He moved his other hand diagonally to his chin twice with his eyebrows raised. <i>Are you alright?</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Friends in Unlikely Places

The angel Castiel walked through the Wal-Mart Sam and Dean were in. He had been called by God to find Sam Winchester and help him, for he had gotten lost. Castiel searched for Sam the human way, not wanting to frighten (read: kill) anyone in his true form. He squeezed a stress ball – his new favorite human invention – as he made his way around. 

When Castiel located the small boy, he was standing hopelessly in the middle of an aisle, tears streaming down his face. Castiel moved quickly to his side and gave his stress ball one last hard squeeze before he pocketed it. 

“Are you alright?” Castiel asked, placing a hand on Sam’s shoulder. He was inwardly pleased at how small Sam was at this time, because he knew that there was a much larger frame in his future. 

Sam backed away from Castiel, and the angel could feel the boy’s worry radiating off him. He motioned to his ears and shook his head, as if to say, _I can’t hear you._

Castiel knew this already, of course. It was part of his assignment. He nodded and then held out a flat palm. He moved his other hand diagonally to his chin twice with his eyebrows raised. _Are you alright?_

Sam’s face was a mixture of surprise and relief. “Lost,” he signed, his hands moving as if he were holding something and it slipped through his hands. Then he moved his right hand back up to his forehead like he was holding the brim of a baseball cap. He brought his hands together in stacked fists with his index fingers pointing outward. _Brother._

Castiel nodded. _Where did you see him last?_

Sam pointed at the floor, as if to say, “here.”

The angel placed the fingers of his right hand to his lips and then placed his right hand on top of his left. _Good._ He then signed, _He will come back._

Sam nodded, trying to look more confident than he felt. He pointed to himself and placed his hand in a fist with his thumb over it, placed his thumb next to the fist, and then tucked three fingers over his thumb. _S – A – M._

“Sam,” Castiel repeated out loud. Sam watched his lips move and nodded, satisfied. He tapped two fingers together and pointed at Castiel. _Name yours?_

The angel made a C with his hand, followed by the A and S motions Sam had used. Then he tucked his pointer finger over his thumb, lifted his pinkie, pulled his fingers up with his knuckles bent, and finished by forming an L out of his forefinger and thumb. 

Sam signed it back to him, _C – A – S – T – I – E – L._ Castiel smiled at him. He sat and motioned for Sam to mimic him. They were in the middle of the aisle on the ground, but neither Sam nor Castiel cared. Sam was caught up in meeting a random stranger who not only stopped to comfort him but could also easily communicate with him, and Castiel was a bit sidetracked by meeting one of the most significant men in history as a frightened child. 

Sam rubbed one palm over the other and then brought his pointer fingers together. Castiel did the same. _Nice to meet you._

Sam swiped at his nose; his tears had stopped. He pulled at his chin and pointed at Castiel. _How old are you?_

He moved a slightly bent hand over his palm. _Thousands._ Sam laughed, but he had been serious. He did the same chin motion at Sam, who then held up nine fingers. Castiel raised his eyebrows, pretending to be impressed. That made Sam smile again. The angel did the brother sign followed by the name sign, even though he already knew Dean better than the boy knew himself. He held a piece of Sam’s soul, but he held a much larger piece of Dean’s. He was responsible for nearly a third. 

Castiel watched as the littlest Winchester signed _D – E – A – N._

_D – E – A – N,_ Castiel signed back. As he did, Castiel felt Dean approaching and let Sam know by placing two relaxed palms in front of him and moving them in opposite circles. _Here._ Dean rounded the corner, and Castiel allowed the boy a slight glimpse of him before he disappeared. 

Sam’s entire face lit up at the sight of Dean, and Castiel caught himself smiling. The boys were just as he had imagined. The younger one jumped to his feet and ran to his brother. They slammed into each other, pulling one another close. Dean embraced his little brother tightly, and as soon as they were together, Castiel could feel their breathing sync. It really was true, then; they were soul mates. They couldn’t live without each other.

He was stunned by Dean’s young teenage beauty. His freckles were extremely prominent, and he carried himself as if he were much older. He was only thirteen years old, but he had already begun looking more like a man than a child. 

Sam quickly pulled back, straightened his shoulders, and looked at the floor. His hand formed a fist and circled around his chest. _Sorry._

Dean knelt in front of him, a little under eye level, and shook his head. He tapped Sam on the chest, as if to say, “look at me.” Sam obliged. Dean shook his head again, and Sam threw his arms around his big brother’s neck. 

“Dammit, Sammy,” Dean breathed out loud. Castiel smiled as Dean buried his face in Sam’s tiny gray sweatshirt. He took the now-invisible stress ball out of his pocket and squeezed it a few times as he watched the rest of the exchange. He was supposed to fly back to Heaven to report as soon as the boys had been reunited, but it was so wonderful to see them like this that Castiel felt he couldn’t tear himself away. 

Sam turned back to where Castiel had been and frowned deeply upon seeing his disappearance. _Thank you,_ he signed, pressing the fingers of his right hand to his mouth and then letting them go. 

Seeing this, Dean tapped Sam on the shoulder and drew two circles with his pointer finger and drew a fisted hand onto his palm from the side. _Someone help you?_

Sam pulled his hands from his shoulders out as if to illustrate wings. _Angel._

Castiel’s mouth dropped open in surprise, but he supposed he should have known Sam would pick up on his being different. Sam did have near-supernatural perception. Dean smiled and placed an arm around Sam as they walked away. Sam looked back over his shoulder, and although Castiel felt badly for not showing himself, he knew he would see his Winchester boys again soon.


End file.
